Talent was one thing that Alonah has been incredibly blessed with. She doesn’t really want to talk about it much but she still feels proud of herself for being able to do the things that she can. The praises she gets always ends up making her feel shy yet it’s those words that make her want to try harder to improve her skills, not to mention that her friends constantly bother her about teaching them how to play musical instruments.
And this time is no different from the other times they asked her.
As Alonah sat alongside her friend, she positioned the guitar comfortably on her lap while facing the one person she’s in the room with. “Alright, now that you’ve learned the basics, let’s go to the slightly complicated parts.”
Reese, a friend of Lu and hers, just sat there with his guitar on his lap, a look full of confusion and the slightest worry etched on his face. She could even feel the dubiousness radiating off of him. In response, Alonah let out a chuckle as she told him, “You’ll be fine! You’ve already made some progress anyway.”
Reese let out a sigh. “Well, when you put it that way, then yeah, I guess I have.”
Feeling like her friend is already motivated enough to continue their lesson, she gave him a grin, to which he only grimaced as a response. If there’s one person she knows who’s hard to motivate, that choice would no doubt be given to none other than Reese himself.
“Okay, so after G, it’s going to be a C#m." Alonah said while forming each chord on the fingerboard of the guitar, strumming all the strings downwards right after.
Reese looked at her fingers in a confused manner, not noticing that his current teacher is watching his every move and every reaction. "I get that G thing, but that C#m thing..." He paused while shaking his head. "I can never do that."
Alonah tried her hardest to keep the amusement away from her face because no matter what alibi she says, she knows that Reese would only view it as her way of gloating that he can’t do something as learnable as playing a guitar.
She still failed at that either way.
The moment he looked up to catch her gaze, the traces of mirth that was plastered on her face was still visible to his eyes. A scowl instantly marred his features but Alonah thought nothing of it and eventually just let her amusement show. But when she saw how unimpressed Reese looked, she let out a long sigh while placing the guitar beside her and kneeling in front of him right after.
If she’s being honest with herself, she definitely looks like someone who is ready to give it her all just to give comfort to the one person she sees as a friend.
She finds it weird but instantly waved it off her mind and just focused all of her attention to her currently sulking friend.
"Never is an awfully long time, you know.” She said. Reese opened his mouth to say a retort but Alonah made sure to beat him to it. “But if you just practice and try hard, you can do it."
“Some pep talk, huh?”
It was Alonah’s turn to give the guy a scowl. “Oh shut up. At least I tried making you feel better.”
Reese chuckled. “Well, considering how you were never really one who had a knack for comforting people, I guess that try was good enough.”
“Unlike you who only has a knack for annoying people, right?”
The innocent smile she sent him only managed to annoy Reese even further. Not that it really mattered but there are other things they should really be doing like finishing the lesson she’s giving him.
“This is exactly why we should never talk about annoying people.” Reese muttered, his hands still on the guitar rested on his lap. “And anyway, are you seriously just going to keep on kneeling down there? I know I’m like a king and all but that’s just too excessive even for you, don’t you think?”
All Alonah wanted to do at that moment was punch him as hard as she could and leave him there until he rots. It’s not really that hard for her to do since she could pretty much do whatever she wants anyway. The only problem here is it would be too annoying for her to deal with all of their friends’ questions.
Keeping those thoughts in mind, she merely let out a disappointed sigh and ignored the words Reese said. “Do you know how to make the C#m chord?” She asked.
The guy in question seemed to have caught on to what she’s doing and let out a chuckle before saying, “No. Do I look like someone who knows how to do that?”
“Well, we wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble if you were.”
“I’m glad I’m making trouble for you. It’s fun.” Reese grinned. “Can’t remember the last time I was able to tease you this much.”
Gritting her teeth, Alonah told him, “You teased me this much yesterday.”
“Oh right.” The laugh that erupted from his lips only made her grit her teeth even further. “Now that was fun.”
“Should we continue this lesson or should I just leave you here to rot?”
Reese pouted. “Now that’s just mean.”
“You’re the mean one here.”
As a reply, Reese merely chuckled before finally settling his gaze down his fingers that rested on the fingerboard. His gaze lingered there for quite some time, making Alonah start to think the guy was admiring his fingers a bit too much. Once he lifted his gaze, it immediately locked on Alonah’s, which definitely took her by surprise.
With a sheepish smile on his face, he pleaded, "Can you please put my fingers on where they're supposed to be?"
“So now you need me, huh?” Alonah laughed while Reese just scowled. “How the tables have changed. But alright, I guess I could do that much.”
“Obviously since that’s what I paid you to do.”
Alonah rolled her eyes. “You didn’t pay me, you moron. I did this willingly because you’re my friend.”
“I know. I’ve just always wanted to tell you that.”
“You’re so weird.” Alonah shook her head. “Just how did we survive having you as a friend?”
“For starters, I’m not that much of a troublemaker. After all, that role has already been taken by none other than Kobe.”
She chuckled, remembering all sorts of trouble that Kobe managed to put himself into. It didn’t really take long for him to be in one because somehow, he just manages to make trouble happen wherever he went.
“Well that much is true.” The amusement in both of their faces never wavered. “Now, back to the guitar that we’ve neglected far too much…”
“I guess it does need some attention.”
Laughing, Alonah picked up Reese’s fingers and placed them in the right place while saying, "Alright, so, on the 9th fret, you put your point finger over the 6th string, the 3rd string, the 2nd string, and the 1st string. It's like you'll make your point finger a clip, but over those strings only. Then, you put your ring finger over the 5th string, and your pinky finger over the 4th string."
By the time Alonah was done explaining the procedure to him, she could faintly hear Reese’s silent hiss of pain but continued in pressing his fingers against the fingerboard nonetheless. Every guitar player has gone through that and she thought that it’s not like he would be able to play the chord if he doesn’t press it hard enough. She looked up at him to see how he’s doing but immediately had the strong urge to laugh once she saw how his expression clearly sent the message that his fingers hurt and she doesn’t even care.
Alonah chuckled and asked him, "Your fingers hurt, doesn't it?"
All he did was look up at her with the slightest scowl etched on his lips as he said, “Not that obvious, is it?”
“It’s pretty obvious.” She replied, choosing to ignore the sarcasm she heard lacing through his voice.
“Then don’t ask me that!”
Chuckling at how irritable he is (and taking into account how he genuinely looks like he’s in pain), she thinks that it’s probably a good time for her to put him out of his misery.
"Alright, let's just skip that part.” She chuckled. “You're already good at changing chords, right?"
Almost instinctively, his eyes immediately snapped to meet hers, a blank look plastered on his face. "You do know that I'm just starting, right? Of course I'm bad at it. Horrible even!" He stated, making the former let out a chuckle in her place.
“Of course you are. You don’t listen to me much anyway.”
Reese glared at her. “I swear…”
Laughing, she said, "Alright, alright. Why don't I just teach you some other chords then?"
“Nope. I’ve had enough of this thing.” He replied, putting the guitar down right after. With a sly smile now etched on his lips, he said, "How about we do that some other time, and you perform a song for me?"
Hearing that, Alonah wondered how he ever had once liked this guy.
"Oh no, not again. You can't make me." She replied while standing up and backing away from him.
He stood up slowly and took his precious time in walking towards the now horrified Alonah, his mischievous smirk showing. "Oh, but I can."
Continuing to back away from him slowly so as not to break or let any instrument fall down, she smirked back at him and asked, "How?"
His smirk grew even more—if that was even possible—and his eyes held this mischievous glint in them that she’s pretty sure wouldn't be gone for a while. "I managed to do that back then, now, didn't I?" He asked as her back finally hit the wall, her heart thumping loudly and violently against her chest.
Alonah’s mind was going haywire at that moment. The only thing that plagued her mind was the fact that even though she doesn’t really have feelings for him anymore, he still always manages to make her nervous around him and the little things that he does. She’s starting to think that maybe it’s a curse she could never break free from.
"But you won't be able to do that again this time." She replied in a whisper, now slowly losing the confidence that she felt a moment ago.
Her whisper was quiet enough that you wouldn’t be able to hear it unless you really get close and she cursed herself for even acting that way. Through her action, she just managed to reveal the fact that he still might possibly still have some effect on her.
He smirked again and asked, "Are you nervous, Ally?"
She swallowed the lump in her throat and she began moving again, stepping from left to right and right to left, trying to find a way out of his presence. She’s aware that she should really think fast because he became nearer and nearer every passing second.
"N-no." She stuttered and his smirk widened. "Shit." She cursed under her breath, making him let out a soft laugh, but not the innocent kind of laugh either.
"No escape now, Ally." He said huskily and she swallowed the lump in her throat—again.
As he became nearer, she did the only thing she could think of at that moment. Disregarding the fact that her current escape plan would only end up with her getting herself in trouble, she still went for it anyway. If she’s going to make it out of here alive, she just would have to risk it.
It kept replaying in her mind: run.
So, she did.
But before she could even enact her plan to run away from him any further, she felt someone wrap their arm around her waist and pull her back, making her bump in their rock hard chest in the process.
She cursed herself yet again for allowing herself to get caught.
She felt his breath fanning over her ears. As a result, she felt her breath hitch in her throat. "This time, you really can't escape." He whispered against her ear and she had to physically prevent herself from giving in to his touch.
Alonah’s really starting to think that giving Reese a guitar lesson was a bad idea after all. Why couldn’t she just have listened to her inside voice?
With her whole attention now solely focused on Reese, she was silent for a while. When she finally came back to her senses, she pulled his arms away and faced him, while he just crossed his arms and gave her a smug smile.
She opened her mouth to say something, when the lunch bell rang.
Honestly, she couldn’t be more thankful that she was saved by the bell she constantly finds annoying to the ears.
Giving him a smirk, she said, "Looks like I can."
And with those words said, she ran out of the music room, leaving Reese laughing behind her. She was barely out of the room when she heard him say, "You still owe me a song!"
Smiling to herself, she pushed open the door to the cafeteria and waited in line to buy her lunch. When she finally got what she wanted and finished paying for it, looking for her friends was the first thing she did.
When she found them at their usual table, laughing and pushing each other around, she let herself smile. She plopped down on one of the empty seats, which just so happened to be beside Ashton, and offered her greeting. “Hey you guys!"
Alonah regards her friends as people who aren't exactly the most normal people you'll meet. And right now, the sight in front of her just proves that she’s right.
Lu sat in between Dominic and Kobe and they were throwing different things at each other. Lu got a couple of French fries and threw it in Dominic's face while Kobe was laughing his insides out when he saw what Lu did. Dominic closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, before he opened them again and pulled Lu towards him. Lu's eyes widened and thought of getting away from him by swapping seats with Kobe, but before she could even do that, Dominic pulled her back and tickled her sides.
She screamed, making the whole canteen look at her. She ignored the looks she just received as she laughed her head off and continued hitting Dominic on the chest repeatedly. But once they saw it was only the ruddy bunch as per usual, they went back to their own business, not even bothering to spare them another glance.
It always made Alonah think how since they’re known as ‘The Elites’ in this school, it looked like they could do anything they want and no one would argue or do anything about it.
Funny how society works nowadays.
Lu still kept on laughing and Dominic was still tickling her sides like there was no tomorrow. She began pulling on Dominic's hair and he winced while letting Lu go. Lu fell to the ground, but she stood up and laughed while pointing at Dominic who was currently sitting on the ground, trying to let the throbbing pain he's feeling go down. Kobe and Hayes's eyes widened at the sight in front of them but eventually laughed hard. Ashton kept chuckling beside Alonah while tossing a grape inside his mouth, and all she did was stare at all of them, only one thing present on her mind:
My friends are psychotic.
Dominic stood up from the ground and stared at Lu with a murderous look plastered all over his face. But before Dominic could do anything to Lu, Reese came bursting through the door, his mysterious aura returning and gone was the carefree Reese I was with moments ago. All the people in the cafeteria stared at him, scoffing and ignoring their stares as he walked in the center like a king.
However, Alonah knew better than to be bothered by that act of his. He's completely different when he's with them, to the point where you could really see and tell the difference between his interaction with other people and with them.
When Lu saw Reese, she ran over to him and went behind his back. Reese looked genuinely surprised by the sudden impact he just received, but chuckled and looked at behind him to gaze at Lu in amusement.
"What happened now, Lu?" He asked and Lu grinned sheepishly at him.
She whispered something to Reese, making him laugh and look at Dominic, amusement plastered all over his face.
"Dude, you totally got owned by a girl." He said, chuckling in the process. Dominic groaned and glared at Lu, who was sticking her tongue out at him, still taking cover behind Reese.
"Lu, you just bruised my ego." Dominic stated while Hayes chuckled.
"Yeah, Lu. You bruised the only thing Dominic ever has." She said, making Alonah’s eyes widen in surprise but eventually laughed along with her.
Ashton, Kobe, Dominic and Lu also laughed with the two girls while Dominic glared at Hayes. "Not cool, H. Not cool." He said and Hayes grinned at him.
"Come on, Lu. Let's sit down." Reese said while facing Lu from behind him. Lu shook her head and pointed at Dominic.
"The big ugly monster will kill me!" She said in a petulant voice and manner, matching it with a pout. They all laughed, except for Dominic, who was looking at her with mouth agape.
"No, he won't. I will be there to protect you from the ugly monster, a.k.a Dominic Dash." Reese said in between laughs.
Lu laughed and said, "Alright, let's go."
They sat down across Alonah and Ashton, with Lu sitting down beside Kobe, and Reese sitting beside Lu. Dominic sat down on Ashton's lap, making Ashton jump up in surprise and bump his head on Dominic's rock hard back.
"Dude!" Ashton whined, and it was him the group were laughing at now. Dominic was obviously glad with that certain change of event.
When they finally calmed down from their laughing fit, Kobe spoke up. "You guys busy tonight?" He asked, all of them looking at each other before they all shook their heads in reply.
As he gave the group a smirk, Alonah already knew what was coming. When Kobe smirks like that, it's not a good sign at all.
He looked each one of them in the eye and asked, "You guys wanna do something badass?"
Dominic, Ashton, Reese, and Lu responded with an evil smirk while Hayes and Alonah could only look at them in horror.
"Oh no, we are definitely not joining that." Alonah said, Hayes nodding in agreement with her statement.
"Oh, come on guys. It's not that bad." Ashton said while facing the two of them
This is one of the reasons why Alonah doesn’t like their ideas sometimes. It gets them in trouble every time and they just barely get away with it too. You see, their group of misfits is complete. They have Kobe Shore, the troublemaker; Reese Gregory, the mysterious guy; Dominic Dash, the player; Ashton Froy, the prankster; Lu Newman, the heartbreaker; Hayes Shordon, the cheerleader; and last but not least, Alonah Charm, the shy yet confident girl.
A perfect group, right?
Well Alonah seems to think so.
Alonah sighed and faced Hayes, who is probably thinking the same thing as her. "Alright, fine. We'll do it." She told them, receiving nothing but cheers from the rest.
They faced Hayes with hopeful looks on their faces, making the girl in question sigh in her place and reply, "Fine."
With everyone now in agreement with Kobe’s yet another reckless plan of trouble, the group (minus Alonah and Hayes), shared a smirk that Alonah could only see as nothing but doom for both her and their head cheerleader.
"We'll start tonight." Kobe informed them and the group muttered their agreement, with Alonah and Hayes’s voices still laced with hesitation.
As soon as that was done, Lu started to stand up in her place and took a seat beside Alonah. The latter looked at her curiously but the former only looked at her lap. Curious, Alonah nudged Lu in the side to get her attention. She then looked at Alonah for the briefest time before returning her gaze back to her lap.
Knowing that Lu is waiting for her to ask what’s the problem, she sighed and asked, "What's wrong?”
Lu finally gave Alonah her undivided attention, a smirk appeared on her face and gone was the worried look on her face just a moment before. "Xavier told me something, you know." She told her and Alonah swore that her eyes looked like it was about to bulge out of their sockets when she heard her best friend’s words.
"What did he say?" Alonah asked, but Lu only gave her a smirk.
After about a minute or two of merely looking at the former with a smirk (with the former now insanely irritated with the latter), Lu finally said, "He told me something interesting."
"Which is?" Alonah asked, a confused expression taking over her face.
"Something I'll tell you soon."
And with that said, she went back to sit in between Kobe and Reese, eating her pasta happily.
Alonah sat there unhappily in her seat, a scowl now plastered on her face as she wondered what was the whole point of Lu telling her all those things but never really telling her anything in the end.
Sometimes, she thinks there’s something wrong with her best friend’s way of thinking.
But that didn't really matter now. The only thing she could think right now was what could Xavier possibly tell Lu to make her this devious and mysterious—and she intends to find out no matter what.
Aksara